ISIS declares ‘caliphate’ in Syria and Iraq

ISIL (Islamic State of Syria and the Levant)  terrorists fighting in Iraq and Syria announced yesterday,  the establishment of a ‘caliphate’.

In an audio recording distributed online, the Islamic State of Iraq and Al Sham (ISIS) declared its chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi “the caliph” and “leader for Muslims everywhere”.

“The Shura (council) of the Islamic State met and discussed this issue (of the caliphate)… The Islamic State decided to establish an Islamic caliphate and to designate a caliph for the state of the Muslims,” said ISIS spokesman Abu Mohammad al-Adnani.

“The jihadist cleric Baghdadi was designated the caliph of the Muslims,” said Adnani.

Baghdadi “has accepted this allegiance, and has thus become the leader for Muslims everywhere”.

“The words ‘Iraq’ and ‘Al Sham’ have been removed from the name of the Islamic State in official papers and documents,” Adnani added.

The move  is an indicator of the group’s confidence. Even Al Quaida in its heyday had not declared an actual Caliphate. But had merely stated that the formation of one is its longstanding goal.

ISIL is a terror outfit so extreme even Al-Qauaida has denounced it and its Syrian Franchise Jabba Al-Nusra has repeatedly clashed with it.

Alarmed world leaders have urged a speeding up of government formation following April elections, warning the conflict cannot be resolved by force alone.

While beleaguered Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has conceded a political solution is necessary, his office has for days touted the Tikrit operation, which could be crucial tactically, and for morale in the security forces.

“The security forces are advancing from different areas around Tikrit,” said Lieutenant General Qassem Atta.

“There are ongoing clashes.“

Witnesses reported waves of government air strikes in central Tikrit and Saddam’s former palace compound in the city.

The Iraqi forces, according to Atta, are coordinating with recently-arrived US military advisers in “studying important targets”.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has raised grave concern about human rights violations and “the rising number of civilian deaths and injuries, with over one million Iraqis having fled their homes due to the fighting”, his spokesman said.

The onslaught that ISIS led this month overran parts of five Iraqi provinces after capturing the Syrian province of Deir Ezzor near Iraq, Raqa in the north, and parts of Aleppo province.